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A software engineer goes to Warped Tour

This past summer, I had an eye-opening experience. My wife and I escorted my daughter (16) and friends to Warped Tour 2007 . Just when I thought I had seen it all, I was literally thrown into a new world- where tattoos, mosh pits, and screamo rock were the scene. Boy, have times changed. At first it made absolutely no sense. It seemed like utter chaos with a dash of madness. Just when I was hitting rock bottom, I had a “clarifying moment” taking me to a place I was once before. As I turned to my daughter and said, “You know I can’t understand a bloody word they’re saying”. It hit me! I remember my mother saying that exact statement to me, 30 years ago, as she was listening to a Led Zeppelin song.

Minutes later, as I stood up, wiping the dirt off my pants, having been knocked down in the mosh pit, I said to myself… In a crazy kind of way, this is fun and exciting - as all new things are. I guess it’s in my nature; embrace change, learn something new, and have a little fun along the way. Thanks Rosie!

There are many similarities with my job and Warped Tour experience. As the CTO of WebSphere, I am always on the lookout for something new and exciting. The software industry can sometimes feels like a “mosh pit of madness”. But after a while, you get the hang of it and realize that what is old is new, and what’s new is old. I plan to use this blog to share with you some of those new experiences and observations, pertaining to WebSphere. I may even throw in a bush painted photo or two (like this one I took at Warped Tour 2007), a video, and a weak attempt at humor from time to time. Enjoy… Jerry